Description
Book SynopsisFor a century, social scientists have avoided genetics like the plague. But the nature-nurture wars are over. In the past decade, a small but intrepid group of economists, political scientists, and sociologists have harnessed the genomics revolution to paint a more complete picture of human social life than ever before. The Genome Factor describes
Trade Review"Too often, the debate over the ethics of genomics takes place behind closed doors--among scientists, doctors and government officials. Members of the general public are left out or treated as an afterthought rather than placed at the center of the conversation. Scientific research is crucial, but the moral dilemmas raised by The Genome Factor belong to us all."--Amy Dockser Marcus, Wall Street Journal "A fresh look at the nature vs. nurture debate... Illuminating."--Kirkus
Table of Contents1 Molecular Me: Welcome to the Coming Social Genomics Revolution 1 2 The Durability of Heritability: Genes and Inequality 12 3 If Heritability Is So High, Why Can't We Find It? 35 4 Genetic Sorting and Cavorting in American Society 60 5 Is Race Genetic? A New Take on the Most Fraught, Distracting, and Nonsensical Question in the World 84 6 The Wealth of Nations: Something in Our Genes? 113 7 The Environment Strikes Back: The Promise and Perils of Personalized Policy 136 CONCLUSION: Whither Genotocracy? 170 EPILOGUE: Genotocracy Rising, 2117 188 APPENDIX 1 196 APPENDIX 2 200 APPENDIX 3 204 APPENDIX 4 209 APPENDIX 5 219 APPENDIX 6 225 NOTES 233 INDEX 277
